Improvement in thill-coupling



W. s. GEER'. Thill Coupling. No-.106,687. Patented Aug. 23, 1 70.

N-PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTONv D. C,

v dlnitrd filterin client Gtiiiiine.

Letters Patent No. 106,687, dated August 23, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN THILL-COU'PLING-L The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same I, WILLIs S. Gene, of the city of Marshall, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain Improvements in 'lhill-Goupling's for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

7 My invention consists in a coupling-box of peculiar. construction, and provided with a stationary partial lining of rubber blocks, in combination with a thill iron having an elliptical head, all as hereinafter more fully described.

The object of my invention, besides forming a reliable coupling which shall be boltlcss, as in some other devices for .this purpose, is to diminish wear, and to constitute a self-tightening and self-loosening coupling, in the engagement or disengagement of the thill or pole draw-heads, so that a durable, firm, and elastic hearing, which shall be noiseless under the draft motion, may he maintained, and, at the same time, allow free vibration in the vertical plane.

Description of the Drawing.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective, embodying my mvention, with broken-off section of thill and axle.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in both the lower side of the axle.

E is the thill-iron, widening out on each side at the coupling end, so as to form an oblong shouldered head, as shown at c, the draw-shoulder being defined by dotted linesin fig. 2, as shown at w.

The walls of the coupling-box are so arranged as to leave an opening on top, just sufficient to allow a free passage (into and from the box-chamber)'for the thill iron draw-head a, when held longitudinally in or about a vertical line,'and said box is further shaped so as to form an interior recess behindthe line of said opening, to receive a backing, b, of rubber or other elastic material, and also to admit the extreme point of the llll'il.\\" llil.d aforesaid, so that said draw-head cannot be lifted out vertically when the thills are in position for draft, and will also form a fulcrum to retain said drawhead point in the chamber during the act of coupling, to be hereinafter described.

A slot, s, narrower than the box-chamber to receive the drawhead, and opeiiin g into said chamber, is formed in front, by means of 'a circle arc flange, i, projecting from each side wall. The inner edges of these flanges form the draw-shoulders, against which the shoulders of the draw-head c abut, when the shank or neck of the thill-iron E is inserted in. the said slot to couple the two together.

These internal circular edges or shoulders in the coupling-box are so shaped that, when the thills are coupled and in position to draw, they will form a por-. tion of a circle within the limits of the natural vibration, concentric with the extreme point of the amhead, which abuts against the elastic backing b, but, above such limits, will "he eccentric with such point, so as to form a wedging space to press (in the act oi coupling) the rounded end or apex of the draw-head agalnstthc elastic backing aforesaid, and so form a durable, elastic resistance, to keep the drawing shoulders in close contact, to prevent rattle and destructive wear, and to facilitate the coupling and uncoupling when the one-horse thills are changed for the'pole, and'rice ccrsc.

To couple the one-horse thills or pole, they are held I nearly vertical, and the draw-heads c .are lowered through the top opening into the interior of the coupling-boxes G on the axle, where they may rest for a moment onthc box. bottoms, as shown by the broken lines in fig. 2. I

The thills or pole are now lowered intoposition, when the shank-necks of the .thill-irons will enter and slide down within the front slots, and the shoulders of the draweheads will slide down against the shoulders of the circle arcfiangcs -i.

'The several parts should be so proportioned, however, that the distance diagonally from tlic lower internal angle in the hind recess of the coupling-box to the top end of the flange shoulder should be greater than the distance horizontally between the face ofthe elastic backing band the concentric portion of the sail flange; consequently, when the draw-heads, which should, just fill that diagonal space, are brought toward a horizontal position by the lowering of the thills,

(acting levers,) the ends of the draw-heads will be pressed into the elastic body of the backing b, the springing reaction of which, while it.keep's the drawshoulders in close contact with each other, will yet allow all necessary freedom of vibration required by the motion of the team and inequalities-of the road.

The uncoupling process is cfi'ected by reversed motions, in reversed order. v

It is designed that the end of the draw-head 6 shall just fill the space within the back recess; but to meet all contingencies, I usually cast a seat in the bottom of the coupling-box to receive a strip, on-of rubber or other elastic substance, to save vertical jar in case of slack fitting, and, at the same time, allow free oscillation ofthe draw-heads,-

To prevent the admission of mud. splashings, a cap (not shown) may be sprung on or otherwise secured over the openings in the coupling-boxes, in any suitable and well-known way.

My invention is cheap in construction, reliable and durable in operation, and differs from and is an improvement on all other boltless couplings, inasmuch as the elastic pressure is effected and removed automaticall y toward the close of the coupling and uncoupling acts, and in a manner extremely favorable to the operator, and conducive to long wear and effective action.

I do not claim the construction of the thill-iron head with rounded ends or contact surfaces, as this is not new; but, having fully described my invention,

mess? What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The chambered and slotted box 0, constructed with an extension, I, and circle are flanges i, and provided with the elastic lining, n I), inserted as shown, in comblnation with the headed t-hill-iron E 0, all made, ap-

plied, and operating substantially as described.

WILLIS S. GEEK.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE M. CADY, 77 LAYIHA )Ymei-rr. 

